ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Wieder: More Questions Than Answers

Orange County Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder, defending her role in negotiations for renewal of a Huntington Harbour marina lease, maintains that her involvement is resulting in a better deal for the county than it currently has. That may be, but it also is possible that even more favorable terms could be negotiated for Sunset Marina if the process was delayed and opened to all bidders. Current negotiations raise so many questions that the Board of Supervisors should withhold approval until all the facts can be learned.

Among the questions is whether Wieder’s son, lobbyist Lee E. Wieder, should have represented the marina operator, Goldrich & Kest Inc., in negotiations, as he did for seven months. Although the county staff says he didn’t openly trade on his mother’s name, he didn’t need to; everyone knew his family ties. This wasn’t illegal, but it gave the impression that Goldrich & Kest had an “in,” and that could have precluded a full discussion of other options. Adding to the impression of coziness with the marina operator was the $1,800 that Goldrich & Kest gave to Wieder’s campaigns over the years.

Another question that has not been answered is what the open-market value of a marina lease would be. That could be learned through a study of marinas authorized last fall by the Board of Supervisors. But the board voted at Wieder’s request to exclude Sunset Marina from the study. The board should reverse that vote.

Wieder, whose district includes the marina, has been trying to move along the lease negotiations between the county and Goldrich & Kest. But why hurry? The firm’s lease is not up for renewal until 1999. County policy requires that leases run to expiration, followed by competitive bidding, unless the board finds a “significant public benefit” would otherwise result. Without a compelling reason, such a finding was made in 1989--again at Wieder’s request; that opened negotiations with Goldrich & Kest and excluded other bidders.

Details of the renegotiated lease have not been revealed, although Goldrich & Kest apparently is willing to give the county a bigger share of marina income. But who knows what other bidders might offer? No new lease should be signed until the supervisors fully weigh the recreational and financial benefits to the public. That’s important because a new leaseholder will control a precious county asset for decades.